Adrenal Defense

Intuition
Quickness
Boldness

Short Description

Trigger an adrenaline-fueled burst of evasive movement - rolling, ducking, or diving to avoid attacks and boost your DB for one round.

Success Criteria

Roll 1d100 versus DR 100

Effects

On Success, you gain a bonus to your Defensive Bonus (DB) equal to your Success Rate (SR)

Modifiers and Restrictions

Can only be used if:

Your armor rating is 8 or lower

Action Examples

You’re surrounded by 2 melee opponents.→ DR = 100 → Skill 70 + Roll 25 = 95→ Failure - You gain no DB, but still pay 1 AP fatigue

Expecting a heavy hit, you call for Adrenal Defense against 1 opponent. DR = 100 -> skill 70 + Roll 50 = 120. You gain +20 DB and pay 1 AP fatigue

Long Description

Adrenal Defense taps into your body’s natural survival mechanism—an intense adrenaline burst that heightens perception, reflexes, and muscular response for a brief window of extreme evasion. In that moment, you roll, duck, twist, or dive to avoid incoming blows or projectiles, instinctively tracking danger and reacting before thought kicks in.

While incredibly effective, this kind of hyper-response comes at a cost: it fatigues the body, consuming 1 AP worth of physical energy, so it is not a skill you can use often. It cannot be sustained for long periods and is only accessible to those who fight with light armor, relying on mobility and awareness over bulk protection.

This skill is ideal for agile fighters who survive not by enduring hits, but by avoiding them entirely.

Sequencing

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Potential Counters

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How to use this page

All the information above is intended as a guide to help you navigate the many situations that can arise during your game. Since it's both impossible—and frankly uninspiring—to plan for every possible outcome, players are encouraged to think creatively when using their skills. Game Masters, in turn, are encouraged to embrace and support that creativity.

Whenever possible, aim to resolve situations through narrative choices, logical thinking and role playing. If that’s not feasible, agree on a Difficulty Rating (DR) using the provided Success Criteria and Modifiers. These are not rigid rules, but suggestions - starting points to help you find the right level of challenge. The player describes their intended action, and the Game Master proposes a DR. This should be open to brief discussion at the table, ideally resulting in consensus. If not, the Game Master has the final say.

It’s important to emphasize that all suggested effects, modifiers, and action examples are exactly that: suggestions. If you’re unsure how to resolve something, they offer a reliable fallback—but wherever possible, we encourage you to push boundaries. That’s where some of the most memorable and exciting moments in play are born.

Sequencing and Potential Counters are far from exhaustive. With hundreds of skills, spells, and tech modules in the game, the possibilities are too vast to list. You’re encouraged to explore combinations that make sense in your story and setting and in the situations that arise in your game. Sequencing and countering are core to Cosmic Odyssey - they’re where strategic depth meets dramatic flair, and where legendary moments often take shape. Even if no sequencing and counters are mentioned, some certainly exists and can be smartly utilized.

So explore boldly, improvise wisely, and enjoy the game as it unfolds around your choices.